This may be the one time college football players will be happy to take a seat.

This year, alongside the high-end electronics, jewelry and mountain bikes in the gift suites that have become a staple at college football postseason festivities, there will be a home-theater recliner that users can plug their electronics into, as well.

SportsBusiness Journal’s eighth annual analysis of the gift packages provided to bowl game participants by the committees that host the games reveals that half of those organizations will stage a gift suite or shopping spree in the coming weeks. Gift suites are set up as private events prior to the game in which game participants, and often bowl VIPs, are given an order form and allowed to select a gift, or gifts, up to a value that is predetermined by each bowl, not to exceed the NCAA limit.

The NCAA allows each bowl to award up to $550 worth of gifts to 125 participants per school. Schools can, and usually do, buy additional packages that they can distribute to participants beyond that 125 limit. In addition, participants can receive awards worth up to $400 from the school and up to $400 from the conference for postseason play, covering both conference title games and any bowl game.

Making its gift suite debut this year will be Southern Motion’s Viva, a powered home theater recliner that has two USB ports that can charge mobile devices. The Pontotoc, Miss.-based furniture manufacturer also

will offer the larger McLaren, which does not plug in but features a steel base and a reinforced frame capable of accommodating even the largest offensive lineman.

The chairs will be an option in each of the postseason gift suites operated over the next few weeks by Carrollton, Texas-based Performance Award Center. Jon Cooperstein, who leads PAC’s sports marketing division, is projecting that players and coaches will order a total of about 800 chairs.

Southern Motion’s entrance into the bowl space is new territory for the company, although its products have been available for the past few years to some of PAC’s corporate rewards program clients. Cooperstein contacted Southern Motion’s executives this spring with what seemed like a natural opportunity to test a new demographic.

Unlike most of the other companies that offer items to bowl participants, Southern Motion does almost no advertising. It doesn’t have a consumer-focused website, either.

“We do view this alliance as an avenue to do additional business through alternative channels of distribution,” said Beth Loden, Southern Motion’s strategic accounts director. “We are interested in exploring this opportunity as it does not conflict with our normal business model, which is through traditional retail stores.”

Using the suites as a test market for big-ticket items is not new: Oakley and Sony in the past have stocked gift suites with new or not-yet-released items, meaning players and coaches get something their friends and family don’t have and can’t yet buy at a store.

The recliners, along with the Sony PlayStation 4 systems being given out by the Military Bowl, could cost more than the NCAA limit of $550 if bought at a retail store, but bowl committees and gift brokers can negotiate a lower rate on products because they are buying in bulk. Cooperstein said the NCAA oversees what the committees actually pay for the items.

Looking ahead, new bowl games scheduled to begin next year in Miami; the Bahamas; Boca Raton, Fla.; and Montgomery, Ala., would bring the total number of bowls to 39, meaning at least 1,000 additional bowl game participants and, of course, VIPs ordering swag. That timing works out for tenured vendors such as Oakley, which are constantly working to keep their offerings fresh. Oakley products will be in seven gift packages this winter, its lowest total in several years.

“We are at the end phase of the product assortment we offer the bowl games, with a new assortment of products being released in spring 2014,” said Oakley’s Mike Sterner. “So next year, you’ll see a lot more games with Oakley accessories.”

Including gift packages for players, cheerleaders, staff and VIPs, Fossil products will be handed out by 15 bowl committees this year. Sony, Trek and Ogio have the potential of being the top giveaways, as their products are available in nearly every gift suite.

Representatives of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl would not disclose the contents of their gift packages, but New Era officials said bowl participants will receive a selection of the company’s products.

Representatives of the AT&T Cotton Bowl also would not disclose the contents of their gift packages, but a source at a school that played in last year’s Cotton Bowl said the participants received a Fossil watch, Beats by Dre headphones and an iPad Mini.

^ To be spent during the team’s official store visit. Balance not used that day will be forfeited.
Notes: All times listed are ET. Product details are provided as they were available. Most watches, rings, clothing, luggage and footballs are custom-made with the bowl logo. Gift suites are set up as private events in which game participants, and often bowl VIPs, are given an order form and allowed to select a gift, or gifts, up to a value that is predetermined by each specific bowl, not to exceed the NCAA limit of $550 per person.